YOUR ABUNDANCE FOR THEIR WANT

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 (KJV)
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

We will continue on studying 2 Corinthians chapter eight this morning.

Remember that this chapter, paired with the next, is the basis for what we think of as New Testament Christian giving; especially the Faith Promise Offering we designate for missions.

I’ve already summarized the teaching of the two chapters, so now I’m working my way through them pointing out specific passages and making some other applications.

After urging the church at Corinth to give generously by using the example of the churches of Macedonia,[1] it’s as if the Apostle takes a step back to clarify his intentions.

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 (KJV)
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

What he was looking for is an equality.

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:10-12 (KJV)
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

The Apostle knew that life had seasons just like nature does.
·

There is a spring, when we must weed and plant
· There is a summer when we must wait and let grow
· There is a fall, when we enjoy the harvest but
· There is a winter when everything dies down

In other words, life has seasons of abounding and abasing.

The other thing the Apostle knew is that God has marvelously designed this system so that, when one is being abased, another is experiencing abundance.

When it is spring here, it’s fall in South America.
· When one is just recovering from the loss of winter
· The other is beginning the blessings of harvest

When we realize this, we can ease the other’s burdens in our harvest so that they can ease ours in their harvest.

That’s the general teaching of this passage.
And the primary application concerns material/financial things.

I want to suggest to you that the seasons of life might involve three areas:
*I. FINANCIAL
This is, of course, the most direct application of this passage.

It has been my observation that some people may appear to have smaller seasons in this area of their lives.

Some people have huge swings
We had a very sweet couple in our church in Astoria, well off by most people’s standards.
· They lived in one of the nicest parts of Astoria
· They had an incredibly beautiful home
· They drove a very nice vehicle
· They were living in what most people would have considered a season of great abundance
What not everyone in the church knew is that he started and failed in business, it think it was, four times.

They had experienced huge swings.

On the other hand, there is a Christian gentleman by the name of Russell Anderson. I do not know what he did to earn his wealth, but I do know that all of my Christian life he has been known for his charity.

· He is the Anderson in Hyles Anderson College, being the chief financial contributor to the school
· He has also invested heavily in the financing of a second Bible College in Kentucky.

It might be that, at least so long as I have been aware of him, he hasn’t experienced a financial winter season.

That doesn’t mean he hasn’t experienced some other area of abasing.

Some people have their seasons perhaps in the region of the
*II. EMOTIONAL
We know that Apostle Paul experienced seasons of abounding and abasing emotionally as well as financially.

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (KJV)
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

· He had been troubled
· He had been perplexed
· He had been cast down

Remember, he was so concerned, after sending the first letter to the church in Corinth, that they would not receive it well, that he said he had no rest in his spirit?

That couple I told you about in Astoria, she had terrible panic attacks in large crowds.
· It was almost more than she could stand coming to church.
· Coming forward to an altar call was a miracle of God’s grace for her.
· When she was baptized, that was a major victory for her emotionally.

I have found that, when I am down emotionally, God often provides someone in my life who is emotionally well at the moment, who can share their wealth and help lift me.

You have to be careful with this because, when a person is really down, behaving all bubbly and telling them about all the good things going on in your life will not help them.

But a personally who is emotionally fit doesn’t usually need to brag about it anyway. Just their presence, their confidence, their joy can quietly lift the heart of the one who was down.

Paul was down when he went to Corinth. But he was restored by the coming of Titus.

Another person’s season of abasing may be,
*III. SPIRITUAL
I am referring to a time in life when you feel like God isn’t close. When you don’t hear His voice as clearly as you once did.

Remember in that series of messages I just finished from Romans 8, that the goal of the Christian is to have his spirit hidden in the Holy Spirit?

Paul introduced Romans chapter eight by describing a season of spiritual crisis in his own life.
Romans 7:21-24 (KJV)
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

The answer to the season of spiritual crisis is, of course, Jesus Christ.

But notice this Romans 1:11-12 (KJV)
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

You see, when a person is in a season of spiritual crisis, when they feel like God is far from them, when they feel like they can’t hear the voice of God, when they feel like their prayers don’t reach the ceiling,[2] that’s when the abundant faith of another can ease the burden of the one whose faith is being tested.

Conclusion
I want to conclude be simply suggesting that, as generous as you are financially, it would also be a Christian virtue to share your abundance emotionally and spiritually to those who are in seasons of abasing in those areas.

[1] 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (KJV)
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
[2] They don’t have to; God is in the room!